Current production motor vehicles, such as the modern-day automobile, are originally equipped with compartment cover assemblies that are movably mounted to the vehicle body to provide access to the vehicle's various compartments. Driver-side and passenger-side vehicle doors, for example, can be opened and closed to allow user access for entering and exiting the passenger compartment. In contrast, the hood (or “bonnet” in some countries) extends over and covers the vehicle's engine compartment to prevent theft or damage of the engine components. On passenger cars, the hood is typically hinged to a forward portion of the body in white (BIW) to allow access to the engine compartment for assembly and maintenance. For motor vehicles with a mid-engine or a rear-engine layout, the engine compartment and, thus, the hood are located towards the middle or rear of the vehicle as opposed to the forward location of most conventional vehicle designs.
When a motor vehicle is parked outside on a sunny day with the windows, doors and hood closed, the solar load can quickly heat both the passenger and engine compartments well beyond the outside ambient temperature. On a typical 90 degrees Fahrenheit (° F.) sunny day, for example, inside vehicle temperatures can exceed 140° F. Under normal vehicle operating conditions when the engine is running and under load, engine compartment temperatures can exceed 400° F. Possible measures for alleviating excessive heating within the engine compartment include thermal wrapping the exhaust runners, thermal coating the headers and manifolds, high-performance radiators, high-output coolant pumps, and electric cooling fans. As another option, some vehicle hood assemblies are provided with air vents to increase convective cooling within the engine compartment.